Theft prevention apparatus



Jml, 1935- A. J. P|CHL ET Al.

THEFT PREVENTION APPARATUS 6 sheets-sheet 1 Filed Aug. 19, 1953 Ja. 1, 1935. A, J, PlcHL ET AAL 1,986,216

THEFT PRVENT I ON APPARATUS Filed Aug. 19, 1935 6 SheerS-Sheet 2 I FIGB.

I NVENTORS; ANTHONY J P/CHL NTHONYJ P/ z. J By wb ATTORNEYS Jan. l, 1935. A, J, P|C||L ET AL 1,986,216

THEFT PREVENT I ON APPARATUS Filed Aug. 19, 1953 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 H TT'ORNE YS Jan. l, 1935. A. J. PlcHL ET AL t 1,986,216

THEFT PREVENTION APPARATUS Filed Aug. 19, 1933 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 al ugolegwvc 9?#2922212026191 L19! Gl M A NVENTORS; NTHONYJ P/CHL Arron/vers Jan' 1, 1935 v A, J. PICHL ET Al. 1,986,216

THEFT PREVENT I ON APPARATUS Filed Aug. 19, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 7.

f INVENTO 5,5

HNTHoNYJ /c ATTORNEYS HL HNTHo/VYJ. P/CHL J Jan. 1, 1935. A. .1,l PICHL ET Ag 1,986,216

TKHEFT PREVENTI ON APPARATUS Filed Aug. 197 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 3 f 43 4f 227 44 n 40 f 34 v59 36 FIG. l. 25 2 38 I 3/ /bA/d/ l! l@ N 'i/@f L ki:

l 26 JI L\ a 6b a= I 1 IN VEN TORS; ANTHONY J. P/CHL 1 HNHONYJ. P/CHL f?,

HTTORNEYS Patented Jan. 1, 1935 UNITED4v s'rA'rizsy 1,986,216 l THEFT PREVENTION APPARATUS Anthony J. lPichi ana Anthony J1. Pit-,111, Jr.,

` St. Louis, Mo.

Application August 19, 1989, serial No. 685,812

'2o claims. i (C1. zii-1.01)

This invention relates to an apparatus that is designed for use in banks, stores and other establishments for 'preventing a hold-up man, thief, `or other unauthorized person from gaining access to a compartment or space iii-which valuables are kept. It relates particularly to theft prevention apparatus of the general type or kind that comprise a passageway through which a person must pass in the act of entering or gaining access to the compartment or space in which the valuables are kept,- an entrance door and an exit door for said passageway constructed or arranged so that the exit door leading from the passageway to the compartment containing the valuables, cannot be opened unless the entrance door for said passageway is fully closed, and a locking meansfor said exit door combined with or controlled by an operating mechanism which has to be operated in a particular manner in order to effect the release of the exit door.

Such apparatus haver heretofore proven quite effective for protecting stores,l gasoline filling stations and small banks against hold-ups, due primarily to the fact that a vthief or hold-up man will not enter and run the risk of becoming trapped in a passageway leading'to the compartment containing the valuables, and this is the only way that a hold-up or theft can bet accomplished, because the operating mechanism by an authorized person, and which can be' easily changed, modified 'or adjusted to change the number or other indicia which 'the user of the apparatus must observe'in the operation of setting the control member preparatory to bodily moving said control member to set .the operating mechanism for the door locking means in action.

Another object is to provide a theft-prevention apparatus of the general type referred to,

that is equipped with a novel means'for'releasing the entrance door of the passageway ofthe apparatus in the event said door has been locked, due to an error on the part of anI authorized person in manipulating the control-v member that forms part of the operating mechanism for the door locking means.v

And still another object of our invention is to provide a theft prevention apparatus ofthe general type referred to, which is of suchconstruc-- tion that in the event a thief enters the passageway and becomes trapped therein, due to. improper manipulation of the control member, the endeavor of the thief to release himself will be almost certain'to cause an alarm to operate and give notice to the police or to someone else whose duty it is to render assistance to the establishment containing the apparatus under suchcircumstances. Other objects and desirable features of our invention will be hereinafter pointed out. f

Figure 1 of the drawings is a side elevational view of our improved apparatus, partly broken away, showing the entrance door closed and the exitdoor fully opened.

`Figure 2 is a top plan View of the apparatus, showing the entrance door and exit door closed.

Figurev is an enlarged fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional View of the apparatus, taken on approximately the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical transverse sectional View, taken on approximately the line 4 -4 of Figure 2. y A `Figure 5 isa top planV view ofthe operating mechanism for the door locking means.

Figure 6 is a side elevational view of the operating mechanism shown in Figure 5, illustrating the latch for the notched element which is combined with the control member, and showing said element in its normal, inactive position.

Figure 7 is an elevational View of the door locking means, similar to Figure 4, but showing the exit dooropen.'v

Figure 8 is a side elevational view of the operating mechanism for the doorllocking means, illustrating the notched element `moved forwardly far enough to impart a full stroke to the actuator and cause the exitdoor to'be released.

Figure 9 is a side elevational View of the operating mechanism for the door locking means, similar to Figure 6, but showing the notched element locked by the latch associated with same after said notched element has been moved forwardly in an unsuccessful attempt to release the exit door.A

Figure -10is a View similar to Figure 9, showing the cam plate shifted forwardly into a position tofree the notched element from the latch associated with same.

means can be constructed in various -ways without departing from the spirit of -our invention. However, the operating mechanism that isused to actuate the door locking means to effect the release of the exit door, is preferably of the construction herein illustrated and comprises a. control member that must be first set in a derlnite position and thereafter bodily Ymoved a denite distance in order to cause the operating mechanism to effect the release of the exit door. There .is ,only kone particular or definite position out of a large number of possible positions in which Vthe control member can be set, in order to effect the release of the exit door, and the operating mechanism is so constructed that if the luser vsets the control member improperly, and thereafter moves it bodily in an attempt to render the door locking means inactive, certain, parts ofthe 4operating mechanism will become locked in such a Way that itis almost impossible for an unauthorized person to release them,and considerable time will be required even for an authorized person to release said parts. Usually, the apparatus will be equipped with a signal arranged in such a way that as soon as an attempt is `made to release the parts of ythe operating mechanism rwhich have become locked, due 'to an improper setting of the control member, said signal will act, and thusnotifythe police or some other authority that an lattempt is ubeing vmade to hold up -or burglar-ize the establishment in which the apparatus is installed. In the preferred form of our invention herein illustrated the passageway of the apparatus is made 'of such dimensions that it is impossible for more Vthan one person to enter and pass through said passageway at the same time, this-being done so `as to eliminate the possibility of a thief or robber forcing an employee-of the establishment -to accompany him (the thief) into the passageway, and ,then forcing the employee at the point of a weapon to manipulate or actuate the operating mechanism that eiects the release -of the Vexit door.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate the preferred form of our invention, A-in Figure 1 designates the passageway of the apparatus, which passageway, as previously stated, constitutes a pathway leading from a space B, to which vthe public has access, into a space or compartment C in which valuables are kept, said passageway A being provided with-an entrance door 1 and an exit door 2, jasshown in Figures 1 and 2. lFor convenience in-manufactureand installation, the apparatus will usually be constructed in the form of a metal cabinet thatcan be permanently installed in a wall 'or partition lD that separates the space B from the space or compartment C. Said metal cabinet is herein illustrated as being provided with a top Wal-l 3, a bottom 4-and end walls 5 and 6. The interior of rthe cabinet is divided by a metall partition '7 into two sections,lone of which constitutesthe passageway A, and the other a space E for receiving the door locking means and the operating mechanism for same, the said space E l being provided with `side walls 8 to which the top and bottom walls and the end Wall of the cabinet are attached. The entrance door 1 and the exit door 2 for the passageway A are arranged-in parallel zrelation and are constructed so as 1tofslide into `,the space E `when said doors are moved into their open position. The part 9 tof i'the apparatus illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, consists of an open-ended metal box or container -carried by 'the -partition 7V and projecting into `.the space E soas to serve as a shelf, accessible from the passageway A, on which a person moving through said passageway can deposit any article lwhich he may be carrying, such as a SatcheLpreparatory to manipulating the control member to effect the release of the exit door. One wall of the passageway A may also beprovided with a piece of bullet-proof glass 10 a-rrangedso that a person stationed in the space orcornpartment C that holds the valuables may ascertain who is in the passageway A, even though Ithe exit door 2, which is solid. is completely closed.

The exit door 2 is normally locked in its fully closedgposi-tion by a locking means, herein illustrated `as consisting of `a horizontally-disposed lock bar 1-1 -slidingly mounted in guides 12 and 12a lonthe face 4of the partition 7 remote from the passageway ,A and arranged so that one end ofsaid lock bar vlaps over the rear edge of the exit door `2, as shown -in Figures 4 and 12, when said exit'door is closed. Atr such times, i. e., when thelcckbar -11 is in its normal position, the oppositefend of said lock bar is out of the path of the-rearnedgeof .the entrance door 1, (see Figure 12) ,andfhenca saidentrance door is free to slide into the space E of the cabinet, and thus permit a person -to enter the `passageway A from the space B 4to which the public Vhas access. Said lock bar `1l 'is held in the position last referred to-by 1mea-ns of a coiled contractile spring 13 which is Adisposed so as ,to move said bar to the right, .looking ,at Figure 4. The lock bar 11 is also acted upon by a leaf` spring 13' or equivalent means, which :constantly exerts pressure on said lock vbar in a direction tending lto force it latera11y,awayfrom the partition 7, and towards the guide 12 :in which said bar slides. When the lock barllismoved longitudinally, towards the left, lookingtat Figure l2, so as to release the exit door 2, as hereinafter described, the pressure of vthecspring 13 on said bar causes a notch 14^in the'end of thebar to snap into engagement with the bracket 12, thereby retaining the bar 11 inaposition in which one end portion of said bar vclears :the exit door 2 and the other end portion of .said barlaps over the entrance door, as u,shown in Figure .'I, vand prevents said entrance 'door :from being opened. In order to release the :entrance door 1, it is necessary to close the exit .door v2, and in the apparatus herein [illustrated the movement of the exit door back :to :its `closed position causes the notch 14 in the lock bar 11 to be automatically disengaged from its co-.acting part on the bracket 12, the means `'employed for this purpose consisting of a laterally-projecting arm 15 on the inside of the exit vdoor 42 arranged so that when the exit door moves into its substantially fully closed position, `said arm 15 will strike an arm 16 on the `lock bar 11 v4and move said lock bar laterally or in opposition tothe force which the spring 13 exerts on said bar, thereby releasing the bar 11 from the bracket 12 and permitting the spring 13 to move the lock bar longitudinally out of overlappingrelationship with the entrance door 1 and into overlapping relationship with the vedge of theexit door 2. l

The lock bar 11 is moved in a direction to release the exit door, by an operating mechanism of novel construction which comprises a control member located in the passageway A, and preferably constructed in such a way that said control member must rst be set by turning or rotating it into a denite position and thereafter moving said control member bodily, so as to set the operating mechanism in action. There are a large number of possible positions in which the control member can be set, but only, a.' particular oneof the numerous possible positions of said control member will permit the operating mechanism to make a full stroke, or, in other words, move sufliciently to effect the release of the exit door. In any of the various, other possible positions of the control member said control member can be moved bodily a certain distance, but the extent to which said control j member can be moved under such circumstances will not impart a full stroke to the operating mechanism. Moreover, if the control member is improperly set and then moved bodily, a latch becomes operative to engage said control member and prevent it from being quickly restored to its former position. In order that vthe apparatus may be operated by an authorized person who has made an errorrin setting the control member, and then bodily moved said control member into a position wherein both doors of the passageway A will become locked, the operating mechanism is equipped with a manually-operable tripping means by :which a person located in the passageway A can effect the restoration of the `control member and the parts associated with same to their normal position, and in this way, release the entrance door of the passageway A. Some time is required to do this, however, i. e., to properly operate the tripping means, and in most instances the apparatus will be equipped with a signal which is so arranged that it will operate automatically, and thus call the police or other4 authority as soon as thetripping means is manipulated to restore or try to restore the parts of the operating mechanism that have become locked, due to an improper setting of the control member. The operating mechanism for the door locking means is herein illustrated as comprising a horizontallydisposed rock shaft 17 mounted in bearings 18 in the upper portion of the space E of thecabinet, an arm 19 on one end of said rock shaft that is positioned between a pair of laterally-` projecting pins 20 on the lock bar 11, a link 21`attached at its upper end, to an angularlydisposed arm 22 on the opposite end of the rock shaft 17, and an actuator 23 (see Figure 3) attached to the lower end of` the link 21.- The operating mechanism alsofcomprises a control member F located in the passageway A andrigidly combined with a notched element G, which,

when moved bodily a certain definite distance in the direction indicated by the arrow a: in Figure 3, will cause the actuator 23 to move far enough to cause the arm 19 of the rock shaft 17 to shift the lock bar 11 out of overlapping relationship with the rear edge of the exit door2, thus releasing said door. y Y

The actuator 23, which is preferably constructed in the form of a lever, is pivotally attached at 24 to a supporting structure, designated as an entirety by the reference character 25, that is rigidly mounted inside of the space E of the cabinet.' In Figure 3 saidl Vactuator is shown in side elevation.v Thefcontrol member Fk consists of a wheel attached to the forward end of--a horizontally-disposed rod or shaft 26 that 'projects forwardly into the passageway A through a hole in the. partition 7, and the notched element GI previously mentioned is rigidly attached to the rear end portion of said rod Vor shaft 26.v The notched element G consists of a disk provided in its peripheral edge with a large number of notches 27 (see Figures 3, 4 and 11) and the supporting structure 25 is provided with a rigid, horizontally-disposed guide 28 that co-acts with the notched element G to govern the setting of the control member F. Each notch 27 of the element G constitutes a possible position in which the control member F may be setpreparatory to moving said member bodily, but there is only one definite position of the control member that will permit said control member to move bodily far enough to effect the release of the exit door. In the apparatus herein illustrated one of the notches 27 of the element G is provided with a reduced extension 27a (see Figure 11), and the guide 28, previously mentioned, is provided with a reduced projection 28a that serves as a'stop which limits the forward movement of the notched element Gin all possible positions of the control member except the one position in which the narrow slot 27EL in the notched element G is in longitudinal alignment with the projection 28a on theA guide 28, said projectionA 28a being of such width that it will enter and pass freely through the reduced or narrow slot 27a of the element Normally, the notched element G isarranged in aclearance space 25a in the supporting structure 25, which is of such dimensions that there are no parts of said supporting structure which will interfere with the rotary movement of the notched element G. Consequently, a person vstanding ini the passageway A canr grasp the control member F and turn said member so las to bring one of the notches 27 of the element G into alignment or registration with the rear end of the guide 28, after which the control member Fand [the notched element G with which it is combined canbe moved forwardly, as shown in Figure 9. When the notched; element G is in its normal posit-ion, i. e., in the clearance space 25t of the supporting structure, said element is sustainedby a trunnion portion 26eon the rear end of the rod 26 that projects into a bearing 2Gb on the supporting structure 25, and when 'the control member vF is moved forwardly into the passageway A, the notched element G slides upon and is supported by the guide 28. If, preparatory to moving the notched element G forwardly, said element was turned into such a position that any one of the notches 27 in same, other than the notch provided with the reduced extension 27a, aligns with the guide 23, the element G will start to move forwardly and will be stopped when it comes against the reduced projection 28a on the guide 28. Such forward movement of the notched element G causes the actuator 23 to move upwardly a slight distance, dueV to the engagement of the element G` with an inclined surface 23a on the rear end portion of said actuator, but such slight upward movement of the actuator will not withdraw the lock bar 11 from overlapping relationship with the exit door 2. The only way that the exit door can be released from the lock bar 11 is by imparting a full upward stroke to the actuator 23,

the notched element G forwardly'past the stop 28a on the guide 28, so as to cause the element Gtto engage an inclined or cam surface 23'D onV the actuator 23, as shown in Figure 8. Thus, it will beseenthat'inour improved apparatus the degree orv extent of bodily movement of the notched element G is the thingthat determines whether or not the exitvdoor will be released, and the turning or rotation of said element G into only one of ya large number of possible positions which said element is capable ofassuming, is the thing that determines `whether or not the element G may be moved bodily to the extent or degree required to effect the release of the exit door. While it is immaterial how many notches 27 are used on the element G, we have found that if said element is equipped with, say, fifty notches, it is a fairly easy matter to set said element in a position where .it can be started on its forward travel, but as there is only one out of fifty positions of the element G that will effect the `releaseof the exit door of the passageway A, there is little chance of a thief or unauthorized person gaining access to the compartment in which the valuables are kept. The proper or correct setting of the control member F and the notched element G associated with same is obtained by observing a number or other indicator on said control member and then turning said control member into a position to cause vsaid number or indicator to register or Aalign with a stationary device, such, for example, as a hand or pointer 29 mounted on the partition 7 inside of the passageway A, it being preferable to provide the control member F with a rim 30 having printed or marked thereon numerals corresponding to the number of notches 27 in the element G. In Figure 3 the numeral 25 surrounded by a dotted circle is intended to represent the numeral on the rim of the control member F, which must be brought into registration with the pointer 29, in order to cause the reduced notch 27a ofthe element G to align with the stop device 28a on the guide 28. In order that the operating mechanism of the lapparatus may be easily changed so as to utilize different numerals on the rim of the control member F to-eifect the release ofthe eXit door of the passageway of the apparatus, the control member F is adjustably combined with the shaft or rod 26 that connects said control member with the notched element G. One convenient way of adjustably combining said parts is to provide the shaft 26 with a hub plate 26c that carries'bolts 26d which can be inserted in holes in the web of the control member F, designated by the reference character 26e in Figure 4, the control member being provided with a circular row of holes 26e that correspond in number to the number of notches 27 inthe element G. Thus, by changing the adjustment or position of the control member F on the shaft 26, a different numeral can be used for each day or for any desired stated period, to govern the setting of the control member F.

When the notched element G is set in anincorrect position and moved forwardly into'engagement with the stop 28a, as shown in Figure 9, a latch 31 acts automatically to engage the notched element G and lock it in this position, thereby preventing the control member F and notched element G from being restored to their former position, with the hope of being able to again rotate the control member F,with a View of `trying to` select the correct position of :the element G that will permit the same to move forwardlyfpastthe stop 28a. The latch 31 consists of Aa .long leverv pivotally mounted at 24 on the supporting structure 25 at the opposite side of the web piece of said structure that carries the actuator 23. Said latch 31 is .provided on its underside with anotch 31h, shown in Figure 6, and a spring 32, shown in Figure 11, is used to normally exert downward pressure on-said latch and hold it in such a position vthat it is ready to snap into engagement with the notched element G. As soon as ythe forward movement of said notchedelement is interrupted by striking the stop 28a, the notch 31a in the latch will engage the element G and effectively hold the same against rearward movement, i. e., movement in a direction to disengage the element G from the guide 28 and permit said element G to be turned. The only way that the element G can be moved rearwardly into the vclearance space 25a in the supporting structure, kis by manipulating a tripping mechanism kwhich is preferably vconstructed in such a manner that considerable time is required to actuate the latch 31vto release the notched element G, 4and moreover, during this operation, a signal will act and give notice to the police or some other authority that an attempt is being made to gain access to the compartment of the apparatus in which the valuables are kept. `The tripping mechanism above referred to comprises a crank handle 33 positioned in .the passageway A and arranged behind the control member F.as shown in `Figure 1. Said crank handle is attached to the front end of a horizontally-disposed shaft'or rod 34 that projects forwardly Vthrough the partition member and which is provided at its rear end with an externally screw-threaded portion 35 that engages screw threads carried by a part 36 on the supporting structure 25, thereby causing the shaft 34 to move bodily in one direction when thecrank handle 33 is turned clockwise, and to move bodily in the opposite direction when said crank is turned anti-clockwise. A stop 37 on the shaft 34 co-acts with a reciprocating cam plate 38 on the supporting structure 25 to move said cam plate in a direction to render the latch 31 inoperative or to disengage the latch from the notched element'G, and a second stop 37a on thefshaft or rod '34 is used to engage the cami plate 38 and restore it to its normal position so as to permit the latch 31 to again become operative to engageand hold the notched element G, when said element is moved bodily after an incorrect setting of the control member F. As shown in Figures 5 and 10, the cam plate'38 is arranged to slide horizontally on the web piece of the supporting structure that carries the latch 31, and said cam plate is provided lwith an inclined Vportion or cam 39 that co-acts with a head piece or nut 40 on the upper end of a bolt or similar part 41 that projects upwardly from the latch 31, as shown more clearly in Figure 11. The spring 32, previously referred to, is mounted on the bolt 41 between the latch 31 and the part of the supporting structure on which the cam plate slides, and the cam or inclined'portion 39 on said plate is provided with an. elongated slot 39e, see Figure 5, up through which the bolt 41 projects. The actuating rod 34 extends through laterally-projecting years 42 and 42EL on the cam plate, which ears co-operate with the stops on the actuating rod 34 to impart longitudinal movement to the cam plate. When the rod 34 G. Even thoughrthe element G has been `released from its latch, the control member F-cane not be moved quickly back to itsformer position, due to the fact that the crank 33 isl arranged directly behind said control member. `According- 1y,'before the control member F and thenotched element G can be restored to a position wherein they can be rotated so as'to endeavor to bring another `notch 27 into alignment with vthe guide 28, thev crank 33 must be turned in a direction to cause the actuating rod 34 to move rearwardly so as to carry the crank 33 out ofrth'epath of rearwardmovement of the control member F.' Preferably, the screw-threaded portion 35 of the actuating rod 34 is provided with threads of such pitch as to make the rod 34 trave slowly endwise, when saidrod is being rotated, as by so doing we reduce the chance of a thief extricat` ing himself from the passageway A. When'` the rod 34 is rotated in a directionl to'restore .said rod'to its former position, the stop 37a. thereon engages the ear '42 on the cam` plate 38 and moves said cam plate'back to its former position, whereupon the latch 31 is restored to its normal operative condition. When the cam plate'38 is in its forward position, i. e., in a position to hold the latch 31 inoperative, the actuator 23 isseffectively held against upward movementV byf means of .a laterally-projecting arm 43 on the cam plate that laps over an upwardly-projecting extension 44 on the actuator, as shown in Figure 10, said extension 44 being of the same thickness as the actuator and projecting upwardly from the topedge of same. Whenthe cam plate 38 is in its rearward position, the laterally projecting arm 43 thereon is locatedoutsideof the zone in which the extension 44 of the actuator lies, as shown clearly inFigures 3, 6, 8 and 9. Accordingly, even if a thief should manipulate the rod 34 s'o as to release the latch 31 when the cam plate 38 is in its forward position, and should thenA saw oif the portion vof the actuating rod 34 ywhich projects into the passageway A, `thus permitting the control .member F and notchedelement G to be movedfrearward-v ly, it would be impossible for the actuator to move in a direction to effect the release of the exit door, due to the fact that the actuator..23 is held againstA upward movement by the engagement of the arm 43 on the cam plate with the extension 44Y on ther actuator. It is, o-f course, not essential to use a screw-threaded shaft or rod to move the cam plate 38, but we prefer to construct the tripping mechanism of the. ap'- paratus in this way on accountof the vfact `that considerable time is required, as previously explained, to move the cam plate in a direction'to release the latch 31, and then shift sai'dcam plate back into a position where it does not hold the actuator 23 against upward movement.'

- This interval of time is made good use" of in the apparatus herein illustrated by equipping the apparatus with a signal switch 45 provided with a part 46 that coacts with an arm 47 on the cam plate to cause a police ysignal or other suitablesignal to operate as soon as the cam plate 38 starts to move in a directiontojdisengage ther latch 31 fromy the notched element G, the part 46 on the signal switch being spring-pressed and arranged so that as soon as the shaft or rod 34 is turned in a direction to reduce the pressure of the stop 37a on the ear-42 of the cam plate, said spring-pressed switch part 46 will move in a direction to cause the switch 45 to operate the signal. Hence, ample' time `is provided for the police or other authority to reach the establishment before the thief has had time to release himself from the passageway A, even though the thief understands the method of operating the apparatus to release the entrance door 1 after an unsuccessful attempt to set the contro-l member F in the proper position. In orderto prevent the latch 31 from snapping into engagement with theV notched element G' when said element is moved forwardly past the stop 28a by an authorized person after a correct or proper setting of the control member F, the notched'elementA G is provided with a laterally-projecting lug 48 disposed in such relationship with the reduced notch 27a'in the element G, that when said reducedwnotch is brought into alignment withthe guide 28, the `lug 48 will be in alignment with the latch 31 and will bear against the underside of said latch and bridge the gap 31D in same when 'the rnotched element G moves'forwardlyfover lthe stop' 28a on the guide 28;`

ToY facilitate theV operation of the apparatus and reducev the time required for an authorized personto pass through the passageway A, the apparatus is equipped with a means by which a pers'oiilocated'in the space C that contains the valuables can quickly shift the exit door lock bar 11Y into its inactive or inoperative position. ISaid means is herein illustrated as consisting of a switch`49 (see Figure 1), located in the space C and adapted to governa solenoid 50, (see Figure 4), which is associated with the lock bar 11. When the switch 49 is operated, the solenoid 50 will move the lock bar`11 in a direction to release the exit door. Instead of using a switch and a solenoid or the like to move the lock bar 11 into its inactive, or inoperative position, it would bey possible touse a manually-operable means accessible from the space C.

-When the entrance door 1 is in4 its open position, the lock'bar 11 rloearslat one end against the inside face of said doorgand the opposite end of said lock bar laps over the rear edgeof the exit door 2. `At suchtimes, i; c., when the entrance door isopen, it is impossibleto move the notched element Gjforwardly out of the clearance space 25am the supporting structure, and thus set in action the operating mechanism for the door locking'means. rIlhis is because the actuator 23 is directly connected bythe link 21 with the rock shaft 17, and hence, any pressure exerted by the notched element-G' on the inclined surface 23a of the actuator, is resisted by the inside face of the Yentrance doorvbearing against the Vend ofv thelock bar 11. l*The only way that the notched element"G"`and theQcontrol member F can kbe moved .bodily or forwardly, is to first close the entrance door, so as to permit the lock bar 11 to clear the' rear edge of said door. After said entrance door has been closed, the control member F and 'parti associated with same can be moved bodily iny a direction to causelthe actuator`23 to to move. upwardly, the first portion of the upward movementof the yactuator causing the' lockjbar"y 'r11` to move intov locking. engagement 1 with` the entrance door.. During thisinitial 6 einsam snaps `into engagement Vwithfthegbracket .12, as previously explained, and, vthus fefectiyely locks the entrance Adoor and prevents i-t from being opened,.due, of course, to the fact that theengagement of the notched portion of the vbar 11 with the bracket 12 prevents the-bar 11 from-moving endwise out ofoverlappingrelationship'with the entrance door 1. The lock bar I11 remains infthe position just described until the part 15' on the exit door 2 strikes against the arm 16-on the llock bar l1 in the operation-of closing the-exit door, the-engagement ofsaid part v15 with saidv arm 16 causing the lock bar lto be released from the bracket 12whereupon the spring 13 will restore the lock bar to its normal position.

The method -of using our improved apparatus is practically as follows:

Normally, the `exit door is locked in its closed position and the entrancerdoor of the passageway A vis open. `If an authorized -person desires to enter the yspace C in which vthe valuables are kept, he enters the passagewayA, thenlcloses the entrance ldoor 1, and thereafter turns the control member F into such a position that -the numeral or vmarkthereon which designates the proper settingk or correct position of vthe control member, is in registration with the lpointer 29 on the partition 7 Aof said passageway. `This rotary movement of vthe control member F brings the narrow notch 2'7a in the notched element` G into longitudinal alignment with the guide 28, and the next step is to pull the control member F forwardly into the passageway vA, as indicated in broken lines in Figure 1,A so as to cause the notched element G to move forwardly farenough to engage the inclined sur-1 face 231D on the actuator and impart a full -upward stroke to the actuator, such full upward stroke causing the arm 19 `of the rock shaft 17 to move the lock bar 11 out of `overlapping relationship with the vexit door 2, after which the user can open said exit door and'enter thespace or compartment C. If the user, who, we willr assume, is an authorized person, makes an error in setting the control .member iF, such, for example, as turning said control member into such a position that the narrow or reduced notch 27EL in the notched element G does not align with thevguide 28, the -user vcan still pull vthe control member F forwardly a slight distance, Ibut when the notched'elernent yGist'rkesagainst the stop 28a `on the guide 28, the forward'movement of the vnotched element G and the control member will be arrested, and said notched 'element'will become locked by the latch 31 which snaps into engagement with same. The usercan release himself from .the passageway A, however, by-r0 tating the crank handle 33 of the actuating rod 34 in a direction to cause-saidrod to move forwardly, whereupon the cam .39 of the camplate 38 will disengage the latch `31 fromthe notched element Gr` during the forward movement of the cam Eplate 38. After the said cam platehas been moved forwardly it is necessary for .the user to perform still another operation to effect his release from the passageway A, i. e,-it is necessary to move the actuating rod 34 rearwardly or restore it to its former `position, and this can only be accomplished by rotating the rod 34 in the .opposite direction, vso astocarry. said .rod vor the crank handle .33 thereon out of the `-path of rearwardrnovement ofthe .control member F. The objectof constructing .the ap'-v paratus .in this way is to .make it possiblefor an. authorized .person to release .himself .from

the passageway A, :but -to make it extremely 'difcult for an unauthorized person to get out of said passageway after having entered the same and closed the entrance .door 1. It the .person wholentered the passageway A was an unauthorized ipersonwnot familiar with the construction and method of operating the apparatus, it might be possible lfor himV to .set the control ymember F lin one Vof its numerous possible positions and move said member bodily in a direction to start the actuator 23 ytorise, abut there is only one chance-out of fifty that 4the user could guess the `correct, setting position of ythe control member, Iand if he lselected any butthe correct position, the .notched element yG Awould automatically become locked by ,the latch 31 -when said element strikes against the stop 28a. After the controll lmember F is moved forwardly, as just explained, y.the crank handle 33 is in plain View of .the .person standing in the passageway, and if said person should then grasp said crank handle .andturn it, the rst thing that would happenis, thatl the switch 45would operate to cause the signa-l y:tov act, thereby giving notice to the police or :the like that someone is attempting to .enter the compartment or space C of :the 'apparatusin which .the valuables are kept. If rotation lofwthe Aactuating rod 34 has failed vto release. theylocked parts Iof the mechanism, lthe user cannot A,thereafter restore the control member F tto its former Aposition without rst A restoring't'he rod 34 or moving `it rearwardly, .due to 'therfact :that said rod 3.4, when inits .forward position, eiectively ,prevents the control member Fgfrom `being moved `rearwardly or 'back to aposition where iit .can be'rotated,with the hope Qftrying :tond'the correct setting of said control =member. -After the :control :member has been set and started on its lforward movement, both doors ofthe passageway A are Vheld securelylockediby the lock fbar 11,1andzno rotary Amovement `of .the control -member into .another "position is possible without rst :completely Yrestoring the notched :element'fG to the clearance space 25a of'fthe supporting Istructuradue, of course, to the fact'jthat' when the notched element G is movedaforwardly .out of said clearance space,

said :felement iis eiectively `held yagainst :rotation by the"guide'r28 .on-which vit travels. The .particular;.arrangementof the control member F in the passageway Azis not vabsolutely essential, Lbut we lprefer to :arrange :said control `member in the `manner ihereinjillustrated, because byso doing,

said controlamember'tends'tofcramp the user and cut down rthexfree working space in the passageway A when saidcontrolrmember is moved forwardly :finto `said passageway, as vmust be done inthe act of operating Vsaid control member to effect .the Vrelease -of `the .exit door. Obviously, by `reducing the sizeof the working space in the passageway, :it-makes itmore difcult for an unauthorized .person to 4release himself from said ,-passageway. I-'helocking .part 43 on `the cam "plate 38 which .moves into overlapping relationship -with the actuator 23 also vperforms a'very useful function, in that it eifectivelypreventstthe actuator L23 from being moved upwardly -far enough -to effect the release of the exit-door,:even though the person in the passageway.-A shouldcut off lthe portion ofthe actuating rod .34, projecting -into said passageway after a forward movement of the. cam -plate- 38 -to release the latch v`13-1 which .holds ,the notched -element G. The switch yand solenoid 49 and 50, respectively, -are not essential ,partsof the krapparatus', although it is preferable to equip the apparatus with such devices or ya manually-operable releasing means for the lock bar 11, so as to make it veasy for an authorized person to enter the compartment C after said person has.

signalled to an employee of the establishment located in the compartment C.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. An apparatus for the purpose described, comprising a passageway that serves as the entrance to a compartment or space in which valuables are kept, an exit door for cutting off communication between said passageway and compartment, a locking means for preventing the exit door from being opened, and an operating mechanism for rendering said locking means inactive, comprising a rotatable dial in said passageway that has to be turned into only one of a plurality of possible positions and thereafter moved bodily to effect the release of said exit door.

2. An apparatus for the purpose described,

comprising a passageway that serves as the entrance to a compartment or space in which valuables are kept, an entrance door and an exit door for said passageway, a locking means for preventing the exit door from being opened, and an operating mechanism for rendering said lockingk means inactive, comprising a manually adjustable control member in said passageway that has to'be set in onlyone of a plurality of possible positions and thereafter moved bodily to set said operating mechanism in action, said manuallyadjustable control member having provision for enabling it to be adjusted so as to change the critical or particular position of said member that will set the'operating mechanism in action.

3. An apparatus for the purpose described, comprising a passageway that serves as the entrance to a compartment or space in which valuables are kept, an entrance door and an exit door for said passageway,l a locking means for preventing the exit door from being opened, and an operating mechanism for rendering said locking means inactive, comprising a control member in said passageway which the user rst sets in a selected position and thereafter moves bodily to set said operating mechanism in action, said control member being so arranged that it tends to obstruct said passageway when said control member moves bodily.

4. An apparatus for the purpose described, comprising a passageway that serves as `the entrance to a compartment or space in which valuables are kept, an VVentrance door and an exit door for said passageway, a locking means for preventing the exit door from being opened, and an operating mechanism for rendering said locking means inactive, comprising a rotatable control member that has to be rotated into a particular one of a plurality of possible positions and thereafter moved lbodily a certain denite distance into a position wherein it prevents more than one person from occupying the space oi the passageway at the time said control member is moved bodily.

5. An apparatus for the purpose described,

comprising a passageway that serves as the entrance to a compartment or space in which valuables are kept, an entrance door and an exit door for said passageway, a locking means for preventing the exit door from being opened, and an operating mechanism ior rendering said locking means inactive, comprising' a rotatable dial in said passageway that is capable of being set in a plurality of possible positions and thereafter actuated to 'impart movement to said operating mechanism, means for preventing said operating mechanism from effecting the release of the exit door unless said dial has been set .in a particularone of its numerous possible positions, and means for enabling said dial to be adjusted so as to change the particular position of the dial that will permit or cause the exit door to be released.

6. An apparatus of the kind described in claim 5, in which the control member is provided with an adjustable or variable part whose location or arrangement can be altered so as to change the particular position oi the numerous possible positions of the control member that will eiect the release of the exit door.

7. An apparatus for the purpose described, comprising a passageway that serves as the entrance to a compartment or space in which valuables are kept, an entrance door and an exit door for said passageway, a locking means for preventing the exit door from being opened, an operating mechanism for rendering said locking means inactive, comprising a manuallyadjustable control member in said passageway thatis adapted to be rotated into a selected position and thereafter moved bodily to impart movement to said operating mechanism, and means for preventing said operating mechanism from effecting the release of said exit door unless the selected position in which said control member was set is a particular one of a .eplurality of possible positions which said control member is capable of assuming vprior to its bodily movement. f

8. An apparatus for the purpose described, comprising a passageway that serves as the entrance to a compartment or space in which valuables are kept, an entrance door and an exit door for said passageway, a locking means for preventing the exit door from being opened, an operating mechanism for rendering said locking means inactive, comprising a rotatable control member in said passageway that has to be rotated into a selected position and then moved bodily to set said operating mechanism in ac-v tion, means for preventing either door of the passageway from being opened after said control member has started on its bodily movement, and means for preventing said operating` mechanism from effecting the release of i the exit door unless the control member has previously been set in a particular one of a plurality of possible positions which it is capable of assuming prior to being moved bodily.

9.111 an rapparatus for the purpose described, the combination of a door, a locking means for .preventing said door from being opened, an

operating mechanism for rendering said locking means inactive, comprising a control member that has to be rotated into a selected position and thereafter moved bodily to set said opcratclaim 9, in which the said means that co-acts with the multi-notched element'combined with the control member, is constructed so as to prevent said control member from being rotated after said. controlmember'has been started on.

its bodily movement'.

11.An apparatus ofthe kind described in.

claim 9, equipped with a means by which a user can restore the control member to itsformer position in the event an error has been made in turning said control .member to set it.

12. An 'apparatus of the kind described. in claim 9, provided with means for preventing the control member and its associated notched element from being restored quickly to their normal" comprising` a passageway that serves as theV en= trance to a compartment or space' in which valuables are kept, an exit door and an entrance door for said passageway, a locking means for preventing said exit door from being opened, an operating mechanism for renderingsaid locking means inactive, comprising a control member in said passageway that is adapted toA be set by rotating it, and thereafter moved bodilyjto set said operating mechanism in action, a multinotched element rigidly combined with said control member, a guide with which said notched element is adapted to be engaged, aco-acting means on said' guide and notched element `for preventing said control member from moving bodily sufficiently to effect the release of the exitdoor in the event said control member has been improperly set, a latch that is adapted to engage and hold saidnotched element Vin the event said control member is moved bodily after an improper setting, a tripping means for releasingfsaid latch, and means for causing a `signal to act. whenever said tripping means is operating mechanism in action, a multi-notched element rigidly combined with said control member, a guide with whichsaid notched element isV adapted to be engaged, co-acting means on said guide andnotched element for preventingsaid control member from moving bodily suiciently to eiect the release of the exit door in the event said control member has been improperly seta latch that is adapted to engage and hold said notched element in the event said control niem-v ber is moved bodily after an improper setting,v`

and a manually-adjustable trippingmeans for releasing said latch, accessible from said passageway and arranged inthe path which saidfconrestored after an improper setting.-

16. An apparatus for the purposev described,

meagre comprising a." passageway that serves. as the en trance toaA compartmentoi'. space inwhich Valuablesare kept,.an` entrance door andv an' exitdoor for said passageway; a door locking means, an operatingmechanism for said door'lockingmeans comprising a control member that is adapted to be set and thereafter. moved bodily to set said operating mechanism in action, a latch. which acts automatically to lock.Y said mechanism in an ineffective positionin the event said` control member was improperly set, a tripping means comprising a shiftable part accessible from and adaptedto be actuatedl by a person in said passageway to release said latch, and means governed by said shiftable part that serves as'a second lock for said operating mechanism so long as said shitable part remains in its active position.

1'7. An apparatus for the purpose described, comprisingA a passageway that serves as the entrance to a compartment or space in'which Valuables are kept, an entrance door and an exit door for said passageway, a door locking means,

an operating mechanism for'said door lockingr means` comprising an element provided with a plurality of notches, one of which is different from the remaining notches, a guide with which said notched element is4 adapted to be engaged and thereafter moved bodily to set said operating mechanism inaction, and a control member in said passageway adjustably connected with said' notched element for setting and actuating the same.

18. An apparatus of the: kind described in claim 1'7 provided with a latch for engaging and locking said notched element after said notched element is moved bodily after an improper setting Yof same, a tripping mechanism operable from' said.' passageway for releasing said latch, and a signal operating means that acts automatically as soon as said tripping mechanismy is manipulated.

19. An apparatus of `the kind describedv in claim 17, inl which the control member consists cfa numbered wheel in theI passageway adjustably connected to a rod or shaft to which the notched elementA isv rigidly fastened;

20. An apparatus for the purpose described,

comprising a passageway that serves as the entrance to a compartment or space in whichvaluables are kept, an entrance door and an exit door for said passageway, a door locking, means, an operating mechanism for said door locking means; comprisinga notched element locatedoutside of' said. passagewayv and arranged so as to impart movement to saidmechanism when said notched element is moved-bodily, a means operable. from saidpassageway for turning and bodily moving said notchedelement, means forlatching said notched element in an ineiectiveposition in the eventit is improperly set, a tripping mechanism-operable from said passageway for rendering said latching mechanism inoperative and holding said latching mechanism inactive, and meansror preventing the operating mechanism from acting t'o release the door lockingY means when said trippingmechanism is in a condition or position to hold said latching mechanism inactive.

ANTHONY J PICHL.

, ANTHONY J. PICHL, JR. 

